Giovanni Berlinguer

Who is Giovanni Berlinguer?

Giovanni Berlinguer, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI, is an Italian politician and Professor of Social Medicine.

He was born in Sassari, Sardinia, the son of Mario Berlinguer. Like his brother Enrico, Giovanni Berlinguer was a major figure in the Italian Communist Party and was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1972, 1976 and 1979 and to the Senate in 1983 and 1987.

He ran for the secretarship of the Democrats of the Left in 2001, being defeated by Piero Fassino 61.8% to 34.1%.

From 2004 to 2009 he was a Member of the European Parliament representing the DS and sits with the Party of European Socialists group. At the convening of the Parliament on 20 July 2004 he was found to be the oldest member, and as such presided over the Parliament during the election of Josep Borrell Fontelles in 2004 and Hans-Gert Pöttering in 2007 as President of the Parliament.